Staff Reports
A federal judge has had enough. Judge Ana C. Reyes has moved to probe whether top lawyers and officials at the Justice Department and the Interior Department misled the court in the dispute over President Donald Trump’s plan to remake the East Potomac Golf Links. The judge has proposed naming former U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu as a special master to dig into who knew what, when — and whether the government told the truth under oath.
Judge Reyes names a special master to probe possible court misconduct
Judge Reyes circulated an order proposing Jessie K. Liu as a special master in the case. Liu is a former U.S. attorney and now in private practice. The judge says the record shows serious inconsistencies and even a “strong showing of bad faith.” That means the court believes it may need someone neutral with investigatory power to review documents, testimony, and declarations to determine whether DOJ or Interior lawyers or officials misstated facts or hid material information.
What the court saw in the East Potomac Golf Links case
The facts that set off the inquiry are plain and awkward for the agencies. President Trump publicly touted a renovation plan and a start date. Yet in court filings, agency witnesses claimed lower-level staff had no such finalized plan. At the same time, crews removed large numbers of trees and moved forward on work that the judge had quietly restrained with a preliminary injunction and preservation orders. The mismatch between public announcements, actions on the ground, and sworn statements to the court is what pushed Reyes to demand closer scrutiny.
Why the special-master probe matters for the rule of law
This isn’t small potatoes. A special master can lead to sanctions, corrective orders, or even contempt findings if the court concludes lawyers or officials intentionally misled the court. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum and senior Justice Department figures like Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward Jr. are now on notice: courts expect candor. If the government wants to be treated like any other litigant, it has to act like one — truthful, transparent, and obedient to court orders. If it prefers spin and secret plans, then expect the judge to make that record public and to consider consequences.
What to watch next
The near-term fights will be procedural but important. The government has a short window to object to Liu’s appointment and to the scope of the inquiry. If the objection fails and the special master goes to work, her findings will be the clearest test yet of who knew what about the East Potomac work and whether lawyers covered for decision-makers. For Republicans and conservatives who prize the rule of law, this should be simple: courts must protect their role. For everyone else, it will be interesting to see whether the agencies clean up their act — or double down and force the judge to call them out.
